Passive optical networks (PONs) provide service providers with an attractive source of revenue because of the longevity, low operational costs, and superior bandwidth offered by such networks. Subscribers prefer to obtain network connectivity via PONs because of their greater capacity and convenient access to various applications (e.g., Internet Protocol (IP) video, digital telephony, data). As the quantity of information and applications increases, so too does the desire for reliable, high-quality service. Traditionally, service providers have designed their PONs for higher downstream (in the direction from the service provider to the subscriber) than upstream (in the direction from the subscriber to the service provider) data traffic. As bandwidth usage patterns shift to more interactive usage (e.g., sharing personal video, data with other subscribers), the tolerance for errors or failures affecting upstream traffic has declined. Conventional traffic management in the upstream direction continues to rely on capacity sharing among subscribers. In addition to limiting the upstream speed, capacity sharing makes it more difficult for service providers to troubleshoot individual subscriber connections.
Therefore, there is a need for an approach that allows service providers to provide dedicated service to subscribers on existing PON networks while continuing to maintain low operational costs.